AsTEK. COMPOSITE. 341 



in a secund and sometimes crowded manner on the principal branches. Involucres mostly 

 hemispherical, or somewhat turbinate. Scales in several series : a few of the outermost ones 

 resembling the small leaves of the branchlets ; inner ones a little ciliate, with green rhomboid 

 acute tips, which are loose and somewhat spreading. Rays 15 - 25, white or pale purple ; 

 disk purplish when old. Achenia minutely pubescent. 



Old fields and barren soils ; common. August - October. This plant presents many 

 varieties in size, branching, length and breadth of leaves, etc., depending on diversities of soil 

 and situation. 



11. Aster multiflorus. Ait.  Many-Lowered Aster. 



Grayish with a dense pubescence, or hairy ; stem diffusely racemose-compound ; the heads 

 very numerous and crowded, somewhat unilateral ; leaves crowded, linear, entire, not tapering 

 at tlie base, serrulate-scabrous on the margin, spreading or reflexed ; scales of the involucre 

 spatulate, ciliate, with spreading or recurved tips , the exterior ones obtuse. — Ait. Kew. (ed. 

 1.) 3. p. 203 ; Willd. sp. 2027 ; Pursh, ft. 2. p. 546 ; Ell. sk. 2. p. 249 ; Nees, Ast. p. 114 ; 

 Liinll. in DC. prodr. 5. p. 243, and in Hook.Jl. Bor.-Am. 2. p. 13 ; Torr. ^ Gr.fi. N. Am. 

 2. J). 124. A. ericoides, Lam. diet. p. 304; Michx.fi. 2. p. 313. A. ericoides, var. multi- 

 florus, Pers, syn. 2. p. 443. A. ciliatus, Muhl. in Willd. sp. 3. p. 2027. A. dumosus, DC. 

 prodr. 5. p. 241. 



Whole plant usually whitish or hoary from its dense pubescence, but sometimes rather 

 smooth. Stem 1-2 feet high, rigid, much branched and bushy ; the branches crowded with 

 small leaves. Leaves mostly somewhat clasping ; the cauline ones an inch or rather more in 

 length and 1—2 lines wide, rather obtuse ; those of the branches about half an inch long. 

 Heads somewhat racemose and unilateral, or (in sterile soils) terminal and nearly solitary ; 

 the pedicels or branchlets covered with small leaves. Involucre about 3 lines in diameter, 

 shorter than the disk ; the scales commonly spatulate and obtuse, whitish and appressed, with 

 green spreading tips ; the outer ones broader. Rays 10 - 15, white or with a tinge of purple ; 

 disk-flowers purplish when old. Achenia minutely pubescent, turgid. Pappus somewhat 

 tawny. 



Dry sterile fields, particularly in gravelly soil ; not rare. September - November. The 

 ordinary form of this species is easily recognized by its hoary appearance, bushy much 

 branched stem with small white flowers, and small rather obtuse crowded leaves which are 

 not narrowed at the base. 



